Fire in a Hurricane
by WinterHourglass
Summary: It's been a year since The Wicked Witch of The West took up her broom and fled the land of Oz in a fit of fireworks. But now the trees are murmuring of her and her sister's return- and everyone is quite rightfully terrified. Well, all but one. Skye hasn't met another witch before and her first incident ends in fire- making her determined to help Thea see the good in herself again.
1. A New Day's Dawn

_Author's Note: so, I went to see this film in the cinema and couldn't stand waiting for a maybe-sequel. And that impatience brought on this little bit of fanfic, my first in fact (yay! :D). Hope you enjoy, a review would be nice to help me on the way and here it is- my product of boredom._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Oz The Great and Powerful!_

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><p><span>Oz's POV<span>

"Can I ask you a favour, Oz? Do not hate me for what I have become, hate me for who I have became" the girl in black, tipped her hat.

Oz stoppered his drink and let out a long, sigh of grief. "I do not hate you, Theadora, I could never hate you... and I am so sorry... for what... I have done." He straightened his shirt in a meek attempt to feel solidity, but of course he didn't- you never do when your dreaming.

The chequered picnic blanket beneath his feet, the trees around him, and them both by the fire. This was where they'd had their first- and incidentally last- dance. But the music box would not play any more, nor would he want it. This was where it had got him, where his boyish fancies had led himself. Why? Why had he...?

"Wake up to your world, oh great wizard" the young witch's words dripped with a cold kind of malice that struck him at his core. "Because asking for forgiveness is just another lost cause. I will never forgive you" she dug a long clawed finger into his chest. "This is your fault, you should have never made me cry"

* * *

><p>Pearls of sunlight dappled across the room, bleeding through his white sheets and into his vision. Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs, ruler of the land of Oz, saviour of it's people, lay in his bed by the love of his life. Pondering the reason why he had so many dreams of the witch he had hurt.<p>

He pulled the cover's off of his face and propped himself onto the backboard, surveying his shared bedroom. The room was big enough to fit his caravan back in Kansas sixfold, all of the walls were pure white, as were many of the rooms accessories. This was Glinda's room before she had been chased out by Evanora, chased from her home. Now it had been reclaimed.

He must have lain still for a good few hours, until the sun began to rise out of it's nest just over the mountains and scaled the sky. Until his wife let out a content whisper of a breath and rolled over in her sheets to face him. "Morning" she said, her eyes a waking blue, resting her head on the crook of her arm so she could gaze up at him.

"Morning" he replied, a smile stretching at his lips. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. To have her, to be with her, to be so close with Glinda, the woman who looked like Annie but wasn't his Annie. Yet he'd still fallen in love with her, fallen in love so very deeply with all of her.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked.

"Long enough for the sun to rise" he took her chin between his gentle fingers. "But not long enough for the land to fall into disarray, but only just". He took his hand back as she laughed- a sound he could only describe as the sound of bells in the cool, crisp air of a winter morning.

"Charmer"

"I only speak the truth"

A slight frown dashed Glinda's features. "How long have you been awake?"

Oz blinked, still not terribly sure how Glinda knew exactly how he was feeling. "Not too long..."

"Nightmares again?" her voice only held concern.

He nodded, "I just... wish I could make it right again... with her"

"You will, Oscar" only she ever called him that. "One day you'll have the chance to make it right and you'll do just that, I believe in you"

There was a happy pause, then. Oz wished every morning could be as fresh as this one. One where people weren't asking for answers, where they weren't interrupted by Knuck knocking at the door seeking audience for another Munchkin or tinkerer or helpless creature he didn't have answers for. Where he could just lie in the presence of the world without it bothering him, with the only person he wanted to see for the rest of his life.

KNOCK KNOCK

But- of course as many good things do- his peace came to an abrupt yet expected end.


	2. Terrible News

_Author's Note: So, I was planning on following my update deadline of one week but then decided that I never did follow deadlines very well anyway... plus, I'm enjoying this more than I expected :) here's the second chapter, the next one will be Skye (new OC) based._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Oz the Great and Powerful!_

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><p><span>Glinda POV<span>

Knuck threw open the two great heavy doors to Glinda and Oz's private chambers. Well, not so much thrown open as held onto the handle a good two feet off the ground as the Emerald City guard's done the throwing.

"Knuck, what did we discuss about coming in unannounced when Oz and I are..." Glinda's eyes flicked about the room, feeling ridiculously childish "alone?"

Knuck half-grimaced in apology as he dropped to the floor, trumpet in tow and quickly bowed. "My apologies, fair Glinda, but this matter is of the utmost importance and requires immediate attention"

"What could possibly be so important as to drive you to interrupt... our one of few moments... alone?" Oscar half-joked.

Glinda raised an eyebrow at him, meaning it as a scowl but it turned into a smile.

"_Oz_" she said in a warning tone.

Oscar simply smiled innocently.

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><p><span>Knuck POV<span>

Knuck nervously glanced away, seeming desperate to deliver what he had to say but also embarrassed about his position. Since the Wicked Witches had scattered with their tails between their legs, both Glinda and Oz had became gradually closer over the past year. So much, in fact, that they married- and what a beautiful wedding it was. All white and green, but obviously not many people had been there to witness. Just Knuck, Finley, China Girl, The Tinkerer and Oz and Glinda themselves. But it had been beautiful to say the least and Knuck was happy for them (or as happy as he could be for the ex con-man) but he still couldn't decide if it had been too soon.

Then they had moved into Glinda's chamber's on that very night and now Knuck had to make sure he knocked every time he had news to deliver. Or he'd have to risk a nasty surprise.

Even if she hadn't meant to, Glinda had distanced herself from the people of Oz by spending more time with The Wizard. With the people not knowing of their bond, they also felt that Glinda was more... cut off? Though, the forgiving people they were, they gave her the benefit of the doubt- she had, after all, seen her father die, been blamed for that, watched as her two best friends and fellow witches from childhood plummet into Wickedness and then have to suffer the responsibilities that went along with becoming the Wizard's personal advisor.

Yet, throughout all the chaos in the land, they had found time to have a wedding ceremony, they found time to spend time with each other. Knuck may not entirely approve of Oz The Ex-Con-Man but he couldn't doubt his devotion to Glinda.

But that didn't mean he didn't feel uncomfortable when they began to dwell on the whole "devotion" front in front of him.

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><p><span>Glinda POV<span>

Glinda sat up in her bed and began to rise as she turned to the short herald "What is it that you wanted to tell us, Knuck?"

Knuck seemed to perk slightly, in relief, but only a half second before his face fell into a grimace once again. "It's The Wicked Witches, Glinda, they have returned".

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><p>As soon as the news had been broken, Glinda had sent Knuck to wait outside with the doors closed as she and Oz began to prepare.<p>

This news... there would be meetings, panicking people, defences to be put in place, plans to be made. After Evanora's last attempt at taking the throne, she had made many enemies but had also made a few allies- some even within the palace walls.

And now she had came back.

_Evanora_ was back in Oz.

_Theodora_ had returned.

And Glinda had to take a moment, as Oz was inside and she stood on the balcony overlooking the vast green expanse of the Emerald City, to try and make the violent butterflies inside her gut cease.

She hadn't been this scared since Theodora had taken Oz's hot air balloon right out of the sky, with Oz still inside. Except, it wasn't as much fear this time as it was guilt. A terribly misplaced guilt, but guilt all the same. She still felt at least partially responsible for Theodora's horrifying transformation and alliance with her sister despite knowing the truth of her villainous deeds. Glinda knew that Evanora must have worked her magic on the innocent witch but she had next to no idea what manner of magic it was- never mind how to reverse it. She'd spent months entombed inside the palace library, whenever she was not with Oz, she was trying to uncover the secret behind Evanora's curse. Unfortunately, to no avail.

And now, the sister's were back and Glinda still had nothing to help her side in the inevitable battle to come. She was scared, scared for Oscar, scared for the fate's of the people of Oz, scared that she might fail in her role in rescuing Theodora from her own blood. She was helpless, last time she had had to run away from her own home to find sanctuary. But last time, she had been alone. Now? She had Oscar, as well as the people of Oz.

But that didn't mean she was not scared.

"Glinda?" Oscar had walked up behind her, hooking her by the waist and pulling her close. She could smell the faint scent of spices on his skin, she tried to resist snuggling in closer. "Are you feeling okay?"

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><p><span>Oz's POV<span>

Oz wrapped his arms around Glinda, hugging her to him. Her skin was warm as he lightly pressed his cheek against her's. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked her.

Glinda opened her mouth slightly, before closing it again just as fast. She seemed to be mulling something over, trying to decide on whether or not to tell him, perhaps? Glinda was keeping things from him?

"Oz?" she enquired.

"Glinda?" he mimicked.

She smiled slightly, making Oz feels slightly less anxious? Maybe she was keeping secrets? Or, maybe he was just insecure? Oz almost laughed at the prospect, not because it was a ridiculous one- he was always worried for Glinda- but rather of the fact that back in Kansas, insecurity was something he caused, not felt. Glinda had really changed him, for better, for good.

"It's just that... it's nothing, nothing. I'm fine" she unravelled slightly from his embrace so that she could turn around and silence his objecting lips with a short kiss. A small laugh escaped her as she drew back, "we should really address the land of Oz so that we can clear up this little mess" she seemed unsteady as she said it, obviously understating this "little mess".

Oz had no idea how to respond to the Wicked Witch's return. He had no idea if they were seeking redemption, revenge or god know what. Had Theodora returned to forgive him? Destroy him? He had no answers, and that made him think of this a lot more than just a "little mess". He was usually the one holding every ace in the deck, and now he'd started a game without even having a single trick up his sleeve. He couldn't cheat his way out of this one.

But, instead of voicing his suspicions, he smiled- because he was the Wizard now, and Glinda's husband, if he couldn't be strong for himself, he needed to be strong for those he cared for. "Right, lets get this show on the road! Knuck!" he called out into the hallway, the old Herald jumped in response. Oz offered his arm to Glinda- which she took- and they began to stride toward the projector room. "Gather Finley, China Girl and Master Tinker- we have a welcome wagon to roll out."


	3. Seeking shelter, Finding Fire

_Author's Note: Third chapter, woohoo! This one's a little longer than the last two because I felt the other characters are already known and I really wanted a Skye intro chapter that gave her a few characteristics. Please review, I'm working blind here and have no idea how this is going down, if you can spare a sentence... or even a word? O.o Thanks for reading :)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Oz the Great and Powerful!_

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><p><span>Skye POV<span>

The storm was still raging, the cold slap of the rain upon her cheeks, the harsh and ragged breath of wind tearing through her cape and hair. Skye would never make it home in time to out last this storm. She'd have to find somewhere else to shelter. And soon. But why was the weather so bad...?

Never in the whole year that the Wicked Sister's had taken up residence in Winkie Country had there been a storm such as this. So much raw emotion could do that to a Witch, Skye knew this from experience. Surely there must be a good reason for it? But then again, from what she knew about Evanora and Theodora, they didn't need a good reason to do anything.

She had never met the Witches in person- she had tried to steer clear of them whenever the possibility presented itself, not that it often did- but she had heard the stories. They hid up in their castle, all kinds of happenings took place within it's walls. She'd heard that they kidnapped children, which Skye had figured was untrue, whenever a Witch went Wicked (which was never very often) people usually jumped to the most well-used cliche. She'd hear that Theodora trampled the Winkie country, taking out her anger on every living thing she saw, which Skye also did not believe, if it were true then the Wizard would have interfered. She'd heard that Evanora conducted all manner of experiments on whoever passed by their castle, Skye had put this rumour down to people being wary of her baboon henchmen. And then she had heard about the storms. That sometimes they'd come out of no where and whisk people off, never to return. That the storm's were so violent that sometimes they tore houses from their very foundations... then one had hit her family home in the forest, and she believed that rumour.

All her life, Skye had been the only witch in Winkie country. She had been the only person that people didn't quite understand, and that had forced her family to hide in the forest. People were cruel to things they didn't understand, that was the rule Skye had learned to live with. Now, two more Witches had came into the picture since then, and they had came with ill intent- simply reinforcing people's negativity toward Skye and her abilities.

She had entertained the idea of going to the Wizard for guidance but had never felt that things were so difficult for her that she would trouble such an important political figure. Besides, she was happy- she lived where no one could hurt her, with people who loved her. Her mother, father, two brothers and younger sister lived in a house in the forest, happy.

Skye sucked in a breath as she tripped on a rock she hadn't seen because her dark hair was whipping about her face. She caught herself just as she fell, palms digging into the soft mud. "Oh, by the Wizard..." she cursed, standing again and giving herself a brief straightening out before she made another attempt to make it towards a cave she had passed on her way out.

She had left her house the morning before so that she could make it out of the forest before nightfall. Her mother had sent her with a small bag of food- which she'd finished- and she had promised to return in the morning. It was afternoon, and Skye didn't expect to be back until the next again day. Her mother would be worried sick.

But there was nothing that she could do about it, she couldn't control the weather... well, at the moment, anyway- not a storm this size. She'd just have to find shelter, hope she made it through and pray that her mother wouldn't fret too much about it.

The teenage witch almost fell again, she straightened up once more and wrapped her midnight coloured cloak tighter around her shivering form. She could almost swear that she should have found that cave by now, she sincerely hoped that she hadn't missed it among the mist that was the Land of Oz and it's weather.

Another buffet of wind riled her to search harder, surely she couldn't have...?

No, wait, there! A dark patch of nothing carved into the side of the domed mound of grass-topped stone. Skye's steps increased in vigour, becoming longer strides- or as long as they could become without the wind tearing her feet from beneath her.

The wind struck her like a brick wall, suddenly the sky had darkened further. Had more clouds covered the sun? Skye looked about her, stopping dead in her stride.

A dark mass of black was sweeping across the sky in front of her. As the wind cast about her, as the rain hammered against her, a dark- suspiciously humanoid- figure broke away from the black swarm and began to plummet toward her.

There was nothing Skye could do, it happened so fast and, before she could draw another breath, the figure hurtled straight into her. She was thrown from her path and landed on the ground a few feet away.

The last thing she remembered was seeing a large stick with bristles coming out from one end, thinking to herself in confusion, "is that a... a broom?"

She couldn't remember if she had lost consciousness straight away, but she couldn't remember anything happening after her head cracked into the ground.

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><p>There were birds singing, Skye could swear she could hear birds singing.<p>

She coughed a bit, then groaned, why did they have to be singing as her head felt as if it was going to split open?

Something was dripping from the corner of her mouth. Had she been drooling in bed again? She thought she'd gotten...

But no, she opened her eyes and remembered everything as she stared up at the naked yellow sun peeking through behind white cloud. She remembered having to get home, having to get out of the storm, having to try and retain consciousness as she was struck by something big, hard and heavy and suspiciously human-ish.  
>She wiped the back of her hand on her lip as she tried to sit up. Her head throbbed and the world seemed to slip and lurch and turn as she tried to regain her composure. She took the hand away from her mouth, it was blood. "Great..." she mumbled. Another stabbing pain shot through her head and eyes. "Uh, even better..."<p>

Skye tried to pull herself to her feet. She had never been intoxicated before, but she believed that the experience was much like being thrown across a clearing, knocked unconscious and waking up in some half-unfamiliar place with close to no idea how it had happened. Not only that, but the sun was out and shining like she'd imagined the entire storm. After all that rain and wind and terrible thunder, the sun had the cheek to jump into the sky once again like nothing had happened while it was gone. Skye couldn't even tell how long she had been unconscious, it must've been a while, though, because the ground was now dry.

She fell unceremoniously to her butt. It seemed that standing up was not an option until she at least felt a little better. Instead she decided to take in her surroundings, searching for what it had been that had hit her. There was trees to her right and back, the pathway to her front and to her left she found tall grass and in front of that a dark lump of rock- no, it wasn't rock, it was breathing. Was it a person?

Skye wanted to call out, maybe ask if they were all right. But Winkie Country wasn't as safe as it had been a year ago, and it had fallen out of the sky. For all she knew, it could be one of the Witches flying baboons and that would explain why there had been a whole load of them in the sky before it decided to try a crash landing on her torso.

Maybe she could make a break for it? If she was quiet enough then she could slip away without waking the thing.

But, what if she was wrong? What if it wasn't one of the Witches baboons? What if it was a person who desperately needed her help? Could she live with herself if she just left the victim of a flying mishap in the middle on almost-nowhere?

Skye sighed, cursing her mother's gift of a moral mind. It was decided, she'd go and check on the thing that had caused her internal bleeding. Quite honestly, she wasn't all that enthusiastic.

Before she could even try and help who/what ever it was, she'd have to deal with her own injuries first. She fumbled inside the very tiny pouch on her belt beneath her cloak, her fingers were numb from the cold but she eventually managed to untied the knot and empty the contents into her palm.

Almost instantly regretting it. What oozed out from the pouch was not what she had expected. A purplish liquid slopped onto her palm, making her grimace in disgust, the jar had broken her fall and now lay broken at the bottom of the pouch. It was her last piece of medication she had left, it was for healing- a mixture of herbs and roots her father had created- and it was the best kind money could buy.

And she had crushed it with her ribs.

She retied the pouch to her waist and wiped her hand on the dirt beside her, trying to remove the ick from her hands. Being exposed to the oxygen for too long caused the mixture of ingredients to rapidly rot, rendering whoever consumed it completely immobile due to a severe bladder dysfunction. She'd just have to use magic this time.

She sat up a bit straighter, collected her limbs a bit closer- cringing slightly from the pain- and breathed. Just breathed.

Silence helped her focus, helped her not... repeat recent accidents. Sometimes Skye couldn't decide if her "gift" of magic was really what it said on the label. Yes, it was true that it could solve so many problems with ease but it could also cause so many more. Last time she had almost-

No, she didn't want to think about it.

She swallowed, closing her eyes and placing her left hand on her diaphragm and her right hovering above her collarbone. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale...

She let a last breath out, imagining any ailments her body may have suffered from her bombardment leaving with the air.

She opened her eyes, a light blue glow was illuminating the bottom section of her left ribcage, another at just below her right shoulder, and many others on the littler cuts on her face and arms as well as the forming bruise on her forehead.

Inhale...

The glow dissipated, and with it so did the pain.

Exhale...

She let her arms drop to her lap and her breathing return to normal, satisfied.

Fatigue set into her bones, the kind that with doing a lot of physical work. It was to be expected, though, healing with magic was no small feat- and always had a consequence.

The nature of Skye's powers... although sometimes as unpredictable as her mood, were more often than naught benign. Healing was one of the many tools in her collection and one she was more fond of. It created, not destroyed.

Now she just had to take a peek at the thing lying a good fifteen feet away from her and decide from there what the best course of action would be.

This time as Skye rose to her feet she was able to stay sturdy and standing without falling back. With a quick smile at her small victory, she made her advance toward the alien lump of breathing mass.

"Hello?" she prompted, "are you... alive?" it sounded like a weird way to phrase it but that was honestly the only question she cared for at that moment. The thing didn't budge.

Skye inched forward until she was within an arms length away. She prodded the thing with her foot, it shifted- she scrambled backward in fear- rolling onto it's back revealing-

Skye gasped.

-revealing a sharp chin, an expression seemingly caught in a perpetual state of anger and skin the colour of the Emerald City itself!

Skye clamped her hand over her mouth and criticized herself for being so unreasonably stunned at the lady's appearance. Skye had seen stranger things in Oz- talking tin men, flying baboons, a man made of wood with a jack-o'-lantern for a head- and some, although a little peculiar, were quite kind. She shouldn't have jumped when she saw her green skin or her strange features. The first thing she noticed shouldn't have been the stranger's natural look- but more importantly the burn marks on her skin that looked like someone had dribbled searingly hot liquid on her face and arms- leaving very few areas of unblemished skin.

Skye slowly took her hand away from her mouth as she knelt down next to her. She couldn't leave her here like this, she'd not only wake up alone and probably very confused but she'd also most likely be in a lot of pain. Skye had spilt scolding tea on her own arm once when she was younger and knew fine well how much it hurt, but for it to leave an indent in the skin? Skye couldn't even begin to imagine... so she decided to stay, she'd stay, heal her up and try and get her to the cave- which Skye could now see in the light of day- with minimal damage to the both of them.

Then, when she was sure she'd make it all right, she'd make her own way home. Hopefully all before nightfall.  
>Skye set about her work, healing each individual burn- feeling the pain of each briefly before it faded again and she went on to the next.<p>

This was going to be a long day...


	4. Planning Ahead

_Author's Note: okay, sorry, peeps... I've taken forever to update, I know :( I'm not going to bother making excuses because I should have updated by now... but here it is, chapter 4! *Jazz Hands* enjoy :D_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Oz The Great and Powerful!_

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><p><span>Skye POV<span>

Healing the stranger up was a walk in the park compared to having to haul her over to the cave.

There had been no graceful way about it.

There had been half-dragging and some accidental dropping but the unfortunate, unconscious stranger had suffered hardly any withstanding damage. Skye had even taken a quick second to be proud after she made it to the inside of the cave and carefully placed the stranger on the stone floor.

Skye shifted the stranger into a more comfortable position- on her back on a raised section of stone by the mid section of the cave- and then she'd taken of her midnight cloak, folded it up into a vague rectangle and propped up the stranger's head with it like a pillow.

It had been a long while since Skye had visited the familiar, cozy interior of the cave, she remembered it feeling so big and scary when she'd first stumbled upon it a good three years ago. It was strange, she recalled searching for shelter from a pretty violent storm that day as well, except there had been less Wicked Witches then... and less wizards, none but the king, in fact.

The silence was eerie as Skye collapsed to the floor of the cave, resting her head on the chilled stone wall behind her. She could hear the melodic drip of water revertebrating around the cave, as well as the familiar rush of running water so Skye guessed there must be a stream inside the cave somewhere. It didn't sound too far away. She could also hear a faint chirping/squeaking which she took for the sound of bats in the far back section of the cave, the bit of the cave she also guessed the river was, the bit of the cave that was so dark she couldn't see any thing.

But the peaceful array of sounds was quickly shattered by a hollow grumbling that made Skye jump into a more alert sitting position. "Was that...?" she put a hand to her lower abdomen. She was right, that had been her stomach. Skye let out a small laugh, she'd scared herself, well, her hunger had, at least.

She would've liked to have slept a bit and rested her aches before trying to forage but she hadn't eaten in what felt like months.

So she stood, plucking up her little travel sack as she did and swinging it over one shoulder- it was nothing special, a dull brown bag with a bone clip to keep the opening closed, but it was all Skye had at the moment considering it was empty. She glanced toward her still unconscious patient. Looked like she'd have to find food for the both of them.

* * *

><p>As Skye left the cave she realised that leaving it unprotected would be an unwise idea, to say the least. So she set up a few novice spells to keep whatever was inside in, and whatever was outside out. By the time Skye had finished, a thin, camouflage barrier covered the cave opening and that was that, "time to find something to eat" she said, and clapped the non-existent dust from her hands.<br>Righting her travel sack on her shoulders, Skye began a steady stride toward the nearby forest she had came from before the storm had hit. Hoping to all hopes that the storm would keep away long enough for her to find what she was looking for.

* * *

><p><span>Oz POV<br>  
>"Right, team," Oz exclaimed, hands clapping together in optimistic enthusiasm, "we appear to have a big problem on our hands- the Witches have returned and we have no idea why or where they are".<p>

It wasn't the worst news in the world but it sure as hell wasn't the nicest either- but they had beat the Witches before and they could do it again. Of this the Wizard had no doubt as he met the now collapsing expressions of his five closest friends and advisers- Master Tinker, a man with a frail beard and even frailer stature but if you wanted some marvellous contraption built in a split then he was the Tinkerer for you; Finley the flying monkey, the first animal denizen that Oz had met when he first left his hot air balloon and the first to know of and accept his secret; China Girl, who had grown considerably over the past year, who'd became like the daughter Oz and Glinda had not had the time to have; and, of course, Glinda herself.

They all stood in front of him in the Projector Room, the room in which the citizens of Oz would ask the Great and Powerful Wizard for advice before leaving with quaky knees and no smarter than they were when they first entered. The very same room had almost became a base of operation for the five of them, it became a place where they lived and talked and planned, or at least when the Wizard wasn't behind the curtain and Glinda buried beneath the books.

And right now they really needed that room and they really needed a good plan.

Oz continued to smile at the group.

Master Tinker coughed.

Finley then found the moment right to proceed to sneeze before saying, "Haha, Oz, you never change, always a joker" but he didn't seem to be convincing himself.

"I'm afraid the Wizard speaks the truth, dear Finley," Glinda piped in solemnly "Evanora's back, Theodora's back... and we are not certain as to the why but we need to be prepared for the worst".

"Yeah," sighed Finley "I doubt they want to shake hands and make friends after their banishment..."

"Can't we just set up some more fireworks?" China Girl said.

"Yes..." said Master Tinker, "but I have a feeling that those sisters have learned from their first attack on Oz... we need-"

"-A plan B?" said Oz "my thoughts exactly. Now... anyone got any ideas?"

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><p><span>Evanora POV<span>

"Oh, little Wizard, I don't think any idea is going to save you and your... _people _from anything I have planned for you" Evanora had been watching from the five from the comfort and safety of her own castle for long enough to know that they didn't have a clue on how to find her, never mind stop her.

As she glared into the large crystal ball, Evanora's fury that had accumulated over the past year suddenly went from a spark to dragons fire inside her. All of her anger, all of her hate... each ounce of vexation that had ailed her since she left that damned City of Emeralds in such a humiliating defeat- at the hands of the _Good_ Witch Glinda, no less.

But Oz could keep his crown, Evanora wasn't after that sort of power any more. All Evanora wanted was revenge on each and every one of them; and if there was one thing Evanora was good at it was getting what she wanted.

At any cost.

"Monkeys," she called from her pedestal, "send for my sister, she should have returned from her arduous flight..." Evanora paused. She had caught, out of the corner of her eye, in the sheen of the glass of her crystal ball, the crooked, black-clad figure of an old, warped woman... it had been her own reflection. Her once elegant figure, bold cheek bones and rich dark hair had all waned with her Glamour Enchantment when she lost her Stone to Glinda...

Her emotions rose strong and steadily, like water coming to the boil.

"Oh, and fetch me a fast carriage..." Evanora stood down from her crystal ball, her thirst for revenge giving her steps new vigour, and began to stride toward the main hall doors, "I have lives to wreck"

* * *

><p><em>Authors note: So, where was Theodora heading on her "arduous flight"? And where had Skye been returning from when she stumbled upon Theodora... or rather, when Theodora tumbled into Skye...?<em>


	5. Carriages and Unconsciousness

_Author's Note:__ Wooh! Update! Yeh! And it's my longest chapter yet *bows theatrically* (even if it did take a while to get here)... have fun reading :D_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Oz The Great And Powerful :(_

Skye's POV

The air was surprisingly warm given the recent storm.

Now that she came to think about, everything about the forest was ridiculously pleasant to Skye... she put it down to her imagination putting everything in a "better light"- as her mother would phrase it- so that she could deal with all her bad luck up to that point.

So she got out as much of the few peaceful moments she had and set about rummaging through the foliage for any signs of fruit or berry. Skye wasn't much of a hunter, she just struggled in actually _killing _another creature, even if it was for her self preservation.

Thankfully, her family owned a small plot of land, with an even smaller crop farm. Which her father- Dylus- tended to with her older brother, her younger brother and sometimes her younger sister helped as well. And Skye? Well she was more inclined to stay away from the farm, since it was their main source of food, just in case she had another magic related out burst and wrecked it.

It took her a while but Skye did eventually find some food- a little group of blueberry bushes that she probably would've missed if she hadn't practically tripped over them. She began to collect them up in a little rag of cloth she tore off the hem of her sleeved top.

It wasn't much longer after that, that she heard the sound of wood on stone, or to be more specific, carriage wheels on a yellow brick road.

She froze.

Then stuffed what blueberries she had managed to collect into her bag and made her way toward the sound. Usually she wouldn't be so reckless, but she needed help in finding out where the stranger had came from- the one who had green skin and had almost crushed her, that is. She knew what her mother would say, "Skye Tersa Gelawyn, if I catch you conferring with strangers again I will try and teach you how to sow again, and we both know how well that went last time" and she'd say it with a scowl, because for all the kindness in her mother, she would probably already be half worked up about Skye coming home much later than expected.

Skye found the yellow brick road faster than expected, she stood right in the middle as she looked down it to see if she could spot the oncoming carriage. Nothing. But she could still hear it?

"Hey, move out of the way kid, we're gonna-!"

Skye turned just in time to see two horse rearing, just in time for her head to come into contact with one of the wooden frames on each of their sides- knocking her out in a second.

* * *

><p><span>Col's POV<span>

Travelling by carriage was not something Col found particularly entertaining, he'd much rather hike or ride horse back, but he needed to get to the Emerald City within a reasonable time. So, when the driver shouted something inaudible through the carriage walls and the entire thing came to an abrupt stop, Col felt this trip wasn't going to be as boring as he first suspected.

When he got out of the carriage to see what was wrong, he believed this even more so.

He rushed over to his driver's side as he was peering down over a small figure dressed in a green top and black trousers- but she was most definitely female- her dark hair spread outward around her head on the road, a few strands concealing her face.

"I dunno what hap'ned, sir" said his driver, clenching his hat in his hands. "She where in the middle of da road an'"

"It's all right, Jimm, she's breathing, look"

Jimm sighed in relief "thank da Wizard".

"Sir, I believe you should return to the carriage" it was one of his guards that had spoke, "she could well be after you... we must leave at once!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Col said calmly, "she's so young, just about my age, what's she going to do to me?" he shook his head and crouched beside her.

The other guard put a hand to Col's chest, a gesture used to deter him, "sir" he warned.

"I'll be fine"

The guard relented, taking his hand away but not leaving his side.

Col leaned closer to the stranger's limp form and brushed her hair away from her face.

And gasped in astonishment.

"Of all my lucky stars... this could've been anyone..." he said.

It had been the first time he had seen Skye since they had both lived in the same village, and boy had that felt like a long, long time ago. For surely the girl that lay before her was Skye, he would never mistake her sharp cheekbones, her ragged satchel or even the smooth spiralling bracelet that gently encircled her left upper arm- such a small thing made of black metal with a purple stone set within it, she had kept it with her ever since he could remember. It was simple and elegant... much like what he thought of her, but he'd never plucked up the courage to tell her.

Her lips parted and she took in a sharp breath, her eyes fluttering open.

Right before she shot up and knocked his head with hers.

"Ow!" they chorused.

The carriage guards made to draw their swords but Col raised a hand to put them at ease, his other hand cradling his head. "Skye?" he asked.

Her expression turned to confusion at the sound of her own name, then turned to that of pleasant, wide-eyed surprise as she looked up at him, "Col?!"

They embraced for a moment, much to Col's surprise, before she withdrew in excitement, "by The Wizard, I can't believe it, why are you on the roads?" she glanced at his carriage, "in such grandeur, no less?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

He smiled at her curiosity, "well, before you left, my father's stables became quiet popular, people recognised my father's way with horses and the Palace heard of his skills... so we moved to the Emerald City to help the Palace care for their horses as well. I took a visit back to our old home to see how everyone was doing and to see if-" Col stopped abruptly, what he wanted to say was 'to see if you had came back' but he couldn't bring himself to it...

"Wow, going up in the world, are we?" she smiled unsurely at his break in explanation. "I'm glad to hear you and your family are doing well, Col, your father was such a kind man. You and your family are the only people in that village that didn't guard yourselves around my family" she gave him an earnest smile.

Her expression changed in the flicker of a candle flame, it looked to Col like... panic?

"Skye, what's wrong?"

"I- I need to go, I've left someone behind, they need my help... damn" she tried to pull herself off the ground but Col got to his feet faster and helped her up.

"Who?"

"I don't know, they just kind of... crashed into me, okay? But that's not the point- the point is I've left them somewhere safe and I need to get back and see if their okay"

"Wait, crashed into you?"

"Yeah, no time to explain, sorry, I need to go now" she picked up her satchel and made towards the woods again.

Col caught her by the arm, "wait, come with me in my carriage, it'll be faster"

Skye paused a second, a calculating look on her face.

"Please?" he smiled, "I don't want this to be the last time we see each other".

Skye relented, nodding in consent, "lets go".

* * *

><p><span>Glinda's POV<span>

Glinda shook her head, it was no use; it had gotten so late that all the words seemed to jumble together, tripping over each other and making a giant mark of senseless ink on the page.

She had been in the library since she, Oz and the others had finished their meet in the Projector room. They hadn't exactly came to an agreed plan but they had left the room with more to think about. The Tinkerer wanted to take it up with the other Tinkers to hear what they thought; China Girl still thought fireworks where the best course of action (but Glinda put that down to the little girl's fascination, bless her); Finley wanted to high tail it out of The Emerald City and hope the Witch sisters didn't find us.

And Oz? He wanted to talk to them, to see if Theodora could still be redeemed. He wanted to help Glinda in finding a counter curse and cast it before Theodora had a chance to stay true to her promise she had made when her Wicked side first manifested...

****Flash Back****

"Begone, witch! Before The Wizard makes mush of you!" said a brave citizen of the Quadling Country to the newly dubbed Wicked Witch of The West.  
>The other people of muchkin city, chorused in agreement.<br>The Wicked Witch turned to the crowd in either twisted pity or sickening disgust "Oh, how sweet... you all believe in him! Well, so did I once... and as for you, my pretty one... when I return with my sister and her army the yellow brick road will be red with the blood of every _tinker_, _farmer_ and _munchkin_ in your kingdom.

"And as for your wizard? He will be the first to die and you will all see that he is nothing but a deceitful, selfish and extremely _mortal_ man..."

****Flash Back Finish****

It had been nearly a year ago since Glinda had her encounter with the Wicked Witch, but if felt like just yesterday. She remembered every word, every feeling, all of the hope she had thanks to The Wizard arriving, and how disheartened she felt on realising that Evanora had finally turned her sister into a monster.

Glinda and Theodora had known each other quite well before Glinda had been accused of her father's murder, they were good friends even if she and Evanora didn't always see eye to eye... was it too late to help her find the happy little girl Glinda knew was still inside of her? Or was all Glinda's searching for a cure all for nothing?

Only time would tell.

Time that was running out, fast.

"Glinda?" China Girl's head peeped round the corner of one the book stacks.

Glinda smiled at the girl, despite her tiredness. "Hello".

China Girl came toward Glinda, holding her arms up to her, Glinda picked her up and sat her on the table, next to the book she had been pouring over. "What brings you here, young one?"

"I can't get to sleep... will you read me another story?"

Glinda looked from China Girl to the book she had been reading herself, then she decided that getting any more research in that night was not going to work. "Okay, what book did you have in mind?" Glinda stood up, picking China Girl off the table with her and placing her on the ground before taking her hand.

"What about the one with all the chickens?"

"That sounds like a good choice" Glinda cast one final glance over her shoulder at the book lying alone on the table. She almost felt guilty for leaving her search, what if what she was looking for was within the next few pages? _If it's there _she thought to herself_ it'll still be there tomorrow morning... __I promise you, Theodora, I will find a way to bring you back_.

* * *

><p><span>Theodora's POV<span>

_"Theo, I am going to find you! You can't stay away from Oz forever, your revenge will be your ruin, get out and face me!"_

_The pounding in Theodora's chest made her run faster, she had never been so petrified, so scared for her life._  
><em>Whatever it was that was chasing her, had her at her wits end and she couldn't fight it- her magic didn't work, she either missed or the thing simply batted it out the way.<em>

_Theodora ran through the barren field of desolation that had been the Emerald Palace as quietly as she could for fear of alerting the presence to her whereabouts. She passed the crumbling pillars and shredded tapestries, the shattered green marble flooring blurring away beneath her._

_"Theo, Theo, Theo..." the thing tut-tutted and there was a loud sounding bang as its magic destroyed some other poor object, "I have a date to keep with a certain relative and, to be quite honest, would appreciate it if you just gave up, what do you say? I'll go easy on you?... No? Shame... oh, well..." another loud bang reverberated throughout the palace walls. "You had to be difficult" another bang._

_Theodora pushed on, only stopping when she could run no further and took shelter behind what appeared to be the remnants of a rather large roof support. She skittered behind it, her back facing the direction she had came from._

_She sat silently, trying to catch her breath, hand on her chest as if she could muffle the sound._

_She hadn't even seen the thing, whoever it was that was chasing her, it's features seemed to be caught in a perpetual state of shadow. The voice sounded like it was a girl but she wasn't fooled- it was here to get her, and she wasn't going to be lulled into a false sense of calm, no way in Oz._

_Theodora put her hands out in front of her and looked down at them. They were green, wicked hands, she was to be feared, not fearing! But she couldn't stand up to this thing, whatever it was..._

_"There you are Theo, dear"_

_Theodora looked up from her hands, up at her shadow-clad pursuer and a hammer of cold realisation struck her hard in the gut- the kind that only came with knowing you're about to die._

_"Guess what?..."_

_._

_._

_._

Consciousness hit Theodora like a run away train and she shot up, her heart galloping.

"NO!"

Then she lost everything to a fire she did not mean to release- an attempt at self preservation- swallowing up the dark of everything around her.

And leaving her entombed in flame.

* * *

><p><span>Skye's POV<span>

When the carriage went as far as it could along the yellow brick road, Skye and Col dashed out of the carriage and straight toward the empty clearing that was full of the small hills that contained one small hill with a cave. The guards stayed with the carriage.

Skye found the right mound faster than she did in the storm, everything seemed fine, just as she had left it before she had left.

"Is this the place?" Col asked as she walked toward her protection barrier.

"Yes, this is it" she placed her hands on the barrier and began to disassemble it, it thrummed with a calming blue light.

"So, you never said, what exactly happened with this stranger 'crashing' into you?"

Skye gave him the short version- that the stranger had crashed out of the sky and straight into her in the middle of a storm. She left out the minor details but told him that she looked pretty beat up, as if she had been attacked by the flying baboons she had been surrounded by.

It was quite liberating to discuss magic so openly, since Col had been there the night of the... accident... he knew about her being a Witch with magic... issues? Col seemed to take it in his stride, listening carefully to what she had to say without stopping her to ask questions. It was strange how comfortable Skye felt around him.

By the time she finished her short explanation she had almost taken down the barrier, that was the thing about barrier's- they went up quick but took a while to take down again. "That should be-"

"NO!"

Skye didn't recognise the voice, but she recognised fire when she saw it- and there was a hell lot of it coming their way!

"Col, get down!" Skye took Col by the shoulder and threw him behind her.

The cave mouth exploded in a mouth of flames, the fire streaking toward them, and Skye stood in front of it, head-on.

She had a feeling she had left the stranger alone too long the second she woke up with Col by her side.

And the fire confirmed that her awful feeling had been correct.

* * *

><p><span>Evanora's POV<span>

"Get off, get off, get off!" Evanora growled, swatting at the flying baboon that had attempted to help her into her carriage.

It was so tiresome having to deal with menial, mortal things that mortal beings had to do on a day to day basis. When she had her powers Evanora never had to deal with things such as carriages, she'd just fly wherever she wanted to go. But without her crystal Evanora was reduced to having to deal with them whether she liked it or not, much to her displeasure.

She placed her wooden staff across her lap- an aid to her walking as well as a good object to hit things with- she never left home without it... come to think of it, she never left home much at all anyway.

Yet here she was, sitting in a carriage about to embark on a journey to the Emerald City itself. Of course, she wouldn't take on The Wizard head on, no, no, no. She was going to find a way to get past his defences, then she'd get back her crystal... and then? Then she'd get what she'd been waiting for all too long...


End file.
